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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499887">They Have An App For That</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_writestrash/pseuds/M_writestrash'>M_writestrash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Figure Skating RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drama &amp; Romance, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Humor, Love Alarm au, M/M, Unreliable Narrator</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:15:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499887</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_writestrash/pseuds/M_writestrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if an app could tell you who loves you in a 10m radius? That’s the promise of the new Love Alarm app.<br/>Shoma thinks the app is stupid. But after downloading it and finding out that 3 people have feelings for him, he might just reconsider. Especially if one is Yuzuru Hanyu.<br/>Based on the K-drama Love Alarm on Netflix.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Yuzuru Hanyu/Shoma Uno</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>They Have An App For That</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Quarantine got me to write. I don't know if I'll update this or any other story anytime soon...<br/>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">It’s been 24 hours and Shoma already hates the sound of the Love Alarm ‘ring’.</p>
<p class="p1">Sure, it’s nothing more than a few notes - similar to that of a ringtone text message - in a cheerful, major key. It sounds a bit like a melodious harp, but it makes Shoma want to puke. Call him a cynic, but he doesn’t believe in love at first sight or soulmates or any of that crap the Love Alarm app says is real. Apparently, its algorithm can tell when someone in a 10m radius is in love with the user. The app senses someone’s heart beat rhythm and uses facial recognition technology to set off a ring. And when that happens, a stupid little chime goes off alerting the user that someone rang their Love Alarm. Shoma isn’t convinced.</p>
<p class="p1">How could he be? It’s an app! His weather app can barely tell when it’s raining. How is an <em>app</em> going to tell him if someone loves him?</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma sighs.</p>
<p class="p1">Honestly, Shoma is perfectly content to use his two cellphones for what they were made to do: ignore his family's text messages and play mobile games.</p>
<p class="p1">But as fate would have it, not everyone agrees with Shoma’s mentality.</p>
<p class="p1">In the first hour of the app going live, it crashed four times from overload. Two million people have already downloaded the app - more than any other app in history. He tries to not think about how this app is just PokémonGo for lonely people. It’s not hard to see pathetic people on the street walking back and forth across the crosswalk to pass more potential matches. They brag how many rings they have, as if love is just some sort of game to them. He silently hopes this will be over soon.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma can’t even walk five steps without hearing that stupid, high-pitched ring telling the user that they matched with someone nearby. In the short trip from his hotel to the convenience store for snacks, he heard at least ten people ring each other. Ugh.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma rolls his eyes and wonders how desperate people must be for love. For now, he is perfectly content not downloading the app and spending his free time practicing and preparing for ice shows.</p>
<p class="p1">He walks into the hotel, two plastic bags filled with snacks hanging on each arm. He is usually the designated snack buyer and he’s usually more than happy to pick out the snacks for everyone to share.</p>
<p class="p1">Another ring.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Just great.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma ignores the happy couple celebrating their Love Alarms ringing and makes a swift beeline for the elevators. Luckily, he doesn’t have to wait long for the elevator.</p>
<p class="p1">Empty, thank goodness.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma clicks the button for the 8th floor and the elevator begins its ascent. They all planned to meet in one of the Team USA hotel rooms. It’s a celebration before every ice show tour, a ritual that has started since before Shoma even started skating.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma almost refuses. His train ride was quite exhausting (being delayed twice because of the bad weather) and he honestly just wants to sleep. His practice slot is early in the morning and he knows he won’t wake up if he doesn’t have a good night sleep. He’s happy that there’s no time difference at least. Not to mention that he - not so secretly- just wants to play video games until midnight and sleep in until breakfast. He’s not exactly a social person, and he doesn’t have the energy to pretend. At least it’s better than hearing that Love Alarm ring every second, he supposes.</p>
<p class="p1">Nevertheless, the elevator opens on the floor and he finds himself in front of Nathan‘s hotel room. The door is slightly open so he pushes in without knocking. It’s tidy, with only a few clothes hung in the closet and his suitcase half open with the other clothing items. Otherwise, the two beds are still made and the curtains are still pulled shut. He must’ve got in today as well.</p>
<p class="p1">Despite the small size, the room has plenty of space for all of the guests. Everyone has already comfortably found their own inner circles: Team USA splaying out on Nathan’s double bed, the group from TCC sitting on the other bed, some of the smaller federations all collectively huddling together near the window, and Team Japan grouping together near the bathroom. </p>
<p class="p1">He’s just a few minutes late, it seems. He silently hopes that no one is waiting for the snacks.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma awkwardly shuffles towards his friends. It's the usual crowd of skaters at these type of events: Rika, Mai, Wakaba, Kaori, Kazuki, Keiji, Yuzuru and, for some reason, Boyang. Shoma is honestly grateful for his presence, even if he isn't an official member of Team Japan. Boyang always knows how to strike conversation yet give people space to breathe when they are uncomfortable.</p>
<p class="p1">“Hey guys,” Shoma says with a pathetic wave.</p>
<p class="p1">Kazuki waves back at him with a smile. “Nice to see you, Sho!”</p>
<p class="p1">“We didn’t think you’d make it,” Keiji says honestly, as Shoma slides into their little circle next to Boyang and Kaori. “We thought you were still asleep.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Kaori bet me you wouldn’t show but I knew you couldn’t resist us. Pay up,” Wakaba demands.</p>
<p class="p1">Kaori reluctantly reaches into her purse and pulls out some spare coins. She drops them unceremoniously in Wakaba’s outstretched hand. “Happy now?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Very.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Well it’s nice to see you,” Yuzuru says with a soft smile.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma blushes, feeling his cheeks grow warm. Of course Yuzuru is here. He never misses one of these events, despite being somewhat of a hermit himself. He always makes it a point to socialize before ice shows. It is tradition, after all.</p>
<p class="p1">“Nice to see you too,” he says, nervously brushing his hair aside with the back of his hand. His brown eyes linger just a bit longer on Yuzuru, drinking in his beauty. Yuzuru looks good tonight, as he does every night. His hair is combed back neatly but not too overly styled. He’s just wearing a plain black shirt and a pair of track pants but he still manages to look stunning in Shoma’s eyes.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma silently judges his own choice of clothing: an oversized training shirt and leggings. If only Itsuki came along to help him pick out his outfits...</p>
<p class="p1">Yuzuru always makes him feel different. Not in the same way that he relies on Keiji or finds comfort in Boyang’s incessant talk. It’s something deeper than that. Something indescribable - like being on the ice after a good practice. </p>
<p class="p1">“More importantly, did you bring the snacks?” Kazuki asks, breaking Shoma from his thoughts.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma nods, holding out the bags.</p>
<p class="p1">“You’re the best, Sho!” Boyang cheers. “Let me go bring it to Nate so he can set them out!”</p>
<p class="p1">And with that he’s gone.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma frowns inwardly. He wishes anyone else could have delivered the snacks. Usually he depends on Boyang to continue the conversation. Without him, the air feels heavier.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma awkwardly shifts his weight to his left leg. He turns to Yuzuru, silently hoping he will continue the conversation, but he’s distracted with something on his phone. The group grows silent without Boyang and the rest of them all default to their phones as a defense mechanism too.</p>
<p class="p1">After a moment, Keiji let’s put a nervous laugh. “For once, Shoma’s the only one not on his phone.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Come on. Join the fun,” Kazuki insists.</p>
<p class="p1">“What are you all doing?” Shoma asks innocently.</p>
<p class="p1">“We’re using that Love Alarm app. Even a cave dweller like you has heard of it,” Kazuki jokes. He shows off his phone, revealing the the familiar, colorful screen of the Love Alarm app.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve heard of it,” he says colder than he intended. He’s not exactly thrilled that his friends have downloaded the app, and are using it together, especially when they always make fun of Shoma for playing on his phone in public. A bit ironic, if you ask him.</p>
<p class="p1">“Look! I have one match,” Wakaba cheers, accompanied by the Love Alarm ring.</p>
<p class="p1">“Hmm...I wonder who,” Kaori says eyeing Evgenia from across the room.</p>
<p class="p1">“Shut up,” Wakaba hisses, covering Kaori’s mouth.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma chooses to ignore their banter. He doesn’t really care for figure skating relationship gossip.</p>
<p class="p1">“So how many rings did you get?” Mai asks curiously.</p>
<p class="p1">“None.”</p>
<p class="p1">“None? Sho, I find that hard to believe. You’re, like, the most popular guy - well maybe second to Yuzu. There’s no way no you didn’t even get one ring,” Kazuki explains, his eyebrows raised. “Yuzuru has like ten!”</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma narrows his eyes. He doesn’t want to think about Yuzuru having the app. More importantly, he doesn’t want to think about the amount of people who rang Yuzuru’s Love Alarm. In this room alone. Who knows how many rings he would get just walking outside.</p>
<p class="p1">His stomach churns as he bites out “well I don’t have the app.”</p>
<p class="p1">“What? Why? I thought a recluse like you would love it. You’re always on your phone anyways,” Keiji says.</p>
<p class="p1">“You’re one to talk, Mr I-play-card-games-for-fun,” Shoma retorts.</p>
<p class="p1">“Fair, but at least I have the app.”</p>
<p class="p1">“I just don’t see the appeal,” Shoma half-lies. Truly, he doesn’t understand what is so great about a dumb app like Love Alarm. It’s just another glorified dating app for lonely people. And it’s probably selling his information to the government.</p>
<p class="p1">No thank you.</p>
<p class="p1">“It’s just good fun,” Mai explains.</p>
<p class="p1">“What’s so fun about it?”</p>
<p class="p1">“You get to see all the people who love you! Aren’t you curious who you’ll ring?” Wakaba asks.</p>
<p class="p1">“No,” Shoma answers bluntly. To be honest, he’s never given too much thought about love or relationships. He’s never imagined himself settling down with anyone at the moment. It’s just a distraction to him; another thing he has to balance while skating.</p>
<p class="p1">And he most certainly doesn’t want his first relationship to be based on a stupid computer algorithm. He’s always supposed he would end up marrying some lady’s daughter from his mom’s church group.</p>
<p class="p1">There’s only one person he has ever thought of in a more-than-friends way and there is not a chance that returns the sentiment. So what’s the point?</p>
<p class="p1">"Don't pressure him. He's sensitive," Mai teases playfully.</p>
<p class="p1">Keiji groans. “Sho, you're so boring."</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma rolls his eyes.</p>
<p class="p1">“Why don’t you bother Satoko?” Shoma asks, crossing his arms over his chest. “She doesn’t seem to have the app either.”</p>
<p class="p1">“I do and...it’s actually kinda fun,” Satoko admits, shyly. She swipes her phone screen and shows Shoma the app. The tell-tale sign of the Love Alarm ringing starts. Apparently, someone in a 10m radius loves her.</p>
<p class="p1">“Not you too,” Shoma whines, pursing out his bottom lip. If anyone wouldn’t give in to stupid trends it would be Satoko! “Traitor.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Sorry,” she mutters.</p>
<p class="p1">“You’re supposed to be on my side!”</p>
<p class="p1">“I was curious.”</p>
<p class="p1">“See!” Mai interjects, her usual bright energy cutting through their argument. “Even Satoko has it! What do you have to lose?”</p>
<p class="p1">“My dignity,” Shoma mutters under his breath.</p>
<p class="p1">“You lost that when you became friends with us,” Wakaba says with a snort.</p>
<p class="p1">“And I regret that every day of my life,” Shoma mumbles under his breath.</p>
<p class="p1">“Stop being so serious and just download the app and have a little fun,” Kazuki says.</p>
<p class="p1">“I don’t want to. What if I match with a crazy fan or something?”</p>
<p class="p1">“Yeah, but it’s just us," Satoko says with a small smile. "You can delete it in the morning, if it makes you feel better.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Then what’s the point?” Shoma asks, honestly.</p>
<p class="p1">“Well, you’re losing out on all these potential lovers. There could be someone right here who loves you and you wouldn’t even know because you don’t have the app! How sad,” Kaori explains dramatically.</p>
<p class="p1">“That’s hardly a reason.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Maybe I want to see if we’ll match,” Yuzuru says with a shrug.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma’s heart stops.</p>
<p class="p1">Yuzuru has been quiet this entire time.</p>
<p class="p1">At events like this, he’s usually hanging out with his friends from TCC. However, both Javier and Jun are busy with an ice show in Canada so he doesn’t have as many training friends to talk to. Shoma bitterly supposes that he’s always been Yuzuru’s second choice anyways. </p>
<p class="p1">Shoma snorts, trying time play off Yuzuru’s comment like the joke it is. “Very funny.”</p>
<p class="p1">In the corner of his eye, he sees Yuzuru pout, his cheeks going puffy and his lips pursing out.</p>
<p class="p1">“Shoma, don’t listen to him," Keiji assures him. "Yuzuru just probably wants another ring. Everyone in this room probably rang his alarm. I don’t even need the app to tell me that.”</p>
<p class="p1">Rika blushes. “I know I rang his.”</p>
<p class="p1">“So? What’s one more?” Shoma asks sourly. He doesn’t want to think about all the people who possibly rang Yuzuru’s Love Alarm. And he certainly doesn’t want to think of how many people Yuzuru’s alarm rang.</p>
<p class="p1">Yuzuru shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know. Guess I just thought it’d be fun.”</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma opens his mouth to respond but Mai beats him to it. “Seriously, though. What’s the worse that could happen? It’s just us. No one else is here. You can delete it once you leave if you’re worried about getting rings from random people.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Worst thing that’ll happen is that you won’t get any rings like me and Kazuki,” Keiji explains.</p>
<p class="p1">“My phone must be broken or something,” Kazuki complains.</p>
<p class="p1">“Sure,” Wakaba says with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.</p>
<p class="p1">“Just download it before we steal your phone and download it for you,” Rika says.</p>
<p class="p1">“And you know we’ll do it,” Kaori adds with a mischievous smile.</p>
<p class="p1">“Fine!” Shoma relents with a groans. “If it gets you all to shut up.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Finally!” Wakaba cheers.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma ignores them and furiously taps his passcode into his phone. He quickly finds the App Store amongst his collection of pre-downloaded apps. The store opens with Love Alarm glaring at him from the landing screen.</p>
<p class="p1">“Happy?” Shoma asks, turning his phone around to his friends to show his friends.</p>
<p class="p1">“Very,” Kaori says with a smug grin.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma looks at his circle of friends and it finally dawns on him. In his stupid rage, he actually agreed to download the one app he said he would never ever download. Sure, he’s only in front of his friends but that just makes it worse. He shouldn’t just said no and joined Team USA on the bed. Language barrier be dammed; at least they wouldn’t pressure him like this.</p>
<p class="p1">A million thoughts rush through his mind. Who will ring his alarm? Whose alarm will he ring? What if he doesn’t get any matches? What if he does? Who is even in the 10m radius?</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma inhales and takes in his surroundings. Team Japan is definitely within 10m as is Team USA. The group of miscellaneous skaters from smaller federations are definitely too far away. It’s possible that some of his Russian competitors are also in the 10m radius, but he tries not to think about having to explain this to them. It’s bad enough he even has the app.</p>
<p class="p1">That just leaves thirteen people he could possibly match with.</p>
<p class="p1">Well, make that twelve.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma's eyes land on Yuzuru, who is quietly and curiously watching the entire situation play out. His expression is as cam as ever. Yuzuru is the only one who he will ring the alarm for. He knows that for sure. He’s never had feelings like this for anyone else.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma looks down at the app, slowly (almost in an agonizingly slow way) downloading onto his phone. He tries to ignore his stubborn reflection peering back at him on the black screen.</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma doesn’t want to change what he has with Yuzuru - whatever it even is. Yuzuru is like a mentor (maybe even a friend) to him. He likes their dynamic of senpai-kohai; Shoma admiring Yuzuru from the sidelines. That’s the way it always has been and always will be: one sided love.</p>
<p class="p1">Sure, Yuzuru treats him like he always has: as someone precious who strong enough to stand with him on the podium. He likes the smalls bits of affection Yuzuru gives to him. The small hugs and little touches they share with each other is enough. As selfish as it is, he wants to protect that as much as possible. He couldn’t imagine if that all went away because of this stupid app.</p>
<p class="p1">His hands shake as he opens the app.</p>
<p class="p1">“On second thought...” Shoma hesitates before loading up the app. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Come on, it’s all just for fun,” Mai insists. “Now open it!”</p>
<p class="p1">Shoma looks down at his phone and exhales. He clicks on the Love Alarm app, opening it to the sign-in. He types in a bit of his personal info before it brings him to the main screen.</p>
<p class="p1">The Love Alarm rings.</p>
<p class="p1">3 people in a 10m radius loves you.</p>
<p class="p1">Well, fuck.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a disclaimer, the Love Alarm K-Drama is not good. There are so many good K-Dramas on Netflix so don’t even bother watching it (which is a shame because it has a really interesting idea). It’s generic at best and creepy at its worst. They barely use the unique Love Alarm concept. It tries to use every K-drama trope except it’s not done well! None of the characters are compelling and the story is a slog to get through. If you want to watch good a K-Drama, I would recommend Reply 1997, Black, and (of course) Boys Over Flowers.<br/>Sorry for ranting but I hope you enjoyed the first part!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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